Story
of The Mystery of Edwin Drood

What Is the Story of The Mystery of Edwin Drood?
Based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood tells the story of young Edwin Drood, an Englishman whose sudden disappearance throws the fictional townspeople of Cloisterham into a panic. Suspicions arise about who is responsible for Drood’s vanishing, with fingers pointing every which way, including the dashing but villainous John Jasper, Drood's fiancee Rosa Bud, opium den proprietor Princess Puffer and mysterious siblings Helena and Neville Landless. As the investigation pushes forward, everyone who came into contact with Drood joins the lineup of the suspects.

Critics’ Reviews
for The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Anna Louizos's fantastically elaborate sets are perfect... and William Ivey Long's costumes are as luscious-looking as you could possibly desire.

Review by Terry Teachout
from The Wall Street Journal

...there's a charmingly meta quality to Holmes' approach to the material: He imagines the story as a performance of an old-fashioned English music-hall troupe, led by a spirited master of ceremonies played to spry perfection by Jim Norton.

Review by Thom Geier
from Entertainment Weekly

Frequently Asked Questions
about The Mystery of Edwin Drood

What Is The Mystery of Edwin Drood Like?
The show is staged as a play-within-a-play, with each performer portraying a fictional English actor who, in turn, portrays a Dickens character. Set in the style of a Victorian music hall at Christmastime, The Mystery of Edwin Drood is a meta-theatrical event that invites the audience to participate in the show as the actors stage a play-within-a-play. During the show, audience members are encouraged to sing, clap and interact with the actors, culminating in an audience vote for the show’s ending. The bulk of the show is a madcap comedy with colorful characters, breathtaking set design and musical numbers styled in the vein of traditional British pantos.

Is The Mystery of Edwin Drood for Kids?
Though young kids may have difficulty understanding the Dickensian dialogue, they will eat up the audience participation element of the show, which includes voting, clapping, singing along and interacting with the characters onstage. Be warned, though: there is some sexually suggestive choreography and dialogue (as well as one or two utterances of the word “sh--“). Otherwise, Drood is a bright, bouncy show that older children should enjoy.